News

BBQ News: 09/06 – 09/12

– Here’s a fascinating look at the many effects of foil wrapping on briskets and pork shoulders from food scientist Greg Blonder.

– More food science – Should the fat cap stay or go? Meathead’s answer is that it should stay, or at least some of it, but not for the reason you might think.

– Alison Cook of the Houston Chronicle just released her updated list of the Top 100 restaurants in Houston. Corkscrew BBQ comes in at #35, Gatlin’s BBQ is #36, Brooks Place in Cypress is #76 and Virgie’s Bar-B-Que is #81. That’s a strong showing for the local barbecue options.

– If you always wanted to work at a barbecue joint, now’s your chance:

– NFL linebacker Jonathan Vilma opened a Brother Jimmy’s barbecue franchise in the Miami Marlins baseball stadium. They sued him for not paying his agreed upon fees. Then he sued them for operating the concessions so poorly.

– The Baker’s Ribs in Deep Ellum moved a few blocks last year. Now the Greenville location in Dallas is moving to a new address on Northwest Highway.

– BYU put a beatdown on UT last weekend. They then celebrated with briskets rubbed with…nutmeg?

– This NSFW video comes from the Butthole Surfers. They filmed this spoof of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre which features a family drawn off course of their family road trip by a desire for barbecue. It was filmed just north of Austin at the old Coxville Zoo.

Austin Municipal Abattoir circa 1939

– Austin had a municipal abattoir (slaughterhouse) from 1931 to 1969. Here are some photos from an inspection in 1939.

– The famous Harold’s BBQ in Abilene closed in 2011, but the barbecue is back this weekend at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in Abilene. Harold’s son Russell and niece Yvette will operate the concession stand.

– A Boston chef, Joshua Levin, came down to Texas and got inspired. On 09/29 he’ll be cooking a Texas BBQ dinner including smoked brisket, Elgin sausage and Lone Star beer. If you’re in the Boston area, get your tickets here.

– I went down to A. N. Bewley Fabricators in Dallas to check out the first of two smokers that will be sent to Schmidt Family BBQ in Bee Cave when it opens later this year.

– Michael Twitty, an expert in African foodways and sometimes known as the Antebellum Chef, cooked some pork in the pre-Civil War style at a special Harvest Festival event in North Carolina.

– They know their college football, but their geography’s a little off. At about the 20:30 mark in this week’s ESPNU college football podcast, Travis Haney tells the hosts Ivan Maisel and Matt Barrie that Snow’s BBQ is the best barbecue in College Station. I guess that’s still close to B/CS, but they should try some Fargo’s BBQ before Saturday.

– Alchemy, Texas, a Texas style barbecue joint in New York, has closed down after just six months in business.

– Longoria’s BBQ in Everman is known for their brisket sausage. Now you can buy the raw links wholesale:

– Vitek’s BBQ in Waco is expanding with a new franchise program. They expect to have a few new Texas locations open by the end of 2014.

Joe’s BBQ before it became Joe T. Garcia’s

– This historical photograph came from Hollie Lancarte via Bud Kennedy. Before the famous Joe T. Garcia’s in Fort Worth served enchiladas and fajitas, it was a barbecue joint. The pit still remains, but it just used for storage these days.